Richmond joins movement to end pet rent
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Some Richmonders are getting in on a growing movement to end pet rent.
Why it matters: Pet rent and upfront fees can tack hundreds of dollars onto the cost of renting housing in the city.
State of play: An "Abolish Pet Rent" petition has been circulating through Richmond, racking up just over 1,000 signatures in its first two weeks.
- The petition calls on the federal government to follow D.C.'s lead and pass legislation regulating the pet fees and restrictions that landlords can impose.
- D.C.'s Pets in Housing Act, which went into effect in October, caps how much landlords there can charge for pet security deposits at $300 or 15% of the rent, and pet rent at $25 a month or 1% of the rent, whichever is lower in both instances.
- It also eliminates all other nonrefundable pet-related fees and stipulates that landlords cannot set breed and weight restrictions.
By the numbers: If rules like these were in place in Richmond, a renter paying $1,500 a month couldn't be charged a pet security deposit over $225 or pet rent over $15 a month.
- That's compared to the $200-$500 per-pet security deposit and $30-$50 per-pet rent local landlords charge now, according to Richmond SPCA.
- Some local property management firms also charge pet screening and processing fees.
Zoom in: All those extra fees add up and can create a crisis for local renters with pets, says Lisa Cumbey of the William A. Harrison Jr. Foundation, a Richmond-based nonprofit dedicated to animal welfare.
- That's especially true in a city where more than half of the population rents, and most are already rent-burdened.
- The foundation, which also runs Furbish Thrift in South Richmond, is already seeing an increase in pet owners struggling to afford their pets.
- They went from distributing 6,500 pounds of pet food a month to locals in need last year to 10,000 pounds a month now.
What they're saying: "The fees create barriers to pet guardianship, sometimes forcing families to consider surrendering their pets to shelters purely for economic reasons," Richmond SPCA's Dori McGuire tells Axios.
The intrigue: Part of the growing issue with pet fees is that some renters aren't getting anything in exchange for their pet rent, like dog runs or washing stations, Cumbey says.
Yes, but: Some local property management companies have opted not to charge pet rent.
- Property Results, LLC, which oversees a half-dozen complexes across downtown and Manchester, doesn't charge pet rent as a matter of policy.
- "Your pet can't get a job, so how would they be able to pay rent?" their property manager, Allyn Thoma, tells Axios.
Fun fact: In the property management world, pet fees are known as "ancillary income," as Axios reported in 2023.
- "Pets = dollars," read one article from the National Apartment Association, which quotes the chief operating officer of one firm saying that when it comes to pets, most people will pay "whatever's required."
What we're watching: The Richmond SPCA says it's pushing for statewide legislation that would require landlords to make the pet policies and fees more transparent.
- "Every incremental step to making pet ownership more affordable helps keep families intact," McGuire says.